SAMSON AND BUMRAH HEADLINE ICC MEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2026 TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT
(Media release 9th March – Navneet Bansal, News Room 7 Courtesy ICC) Four members of the victorious India team have been named in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament. Player of the Tournament Sanju Samson leads the winning quartet, after the opener’s 321 runs from just five innings. Samson started the tournament outside of the Indian XI but shone with Player of the Match performances against the West Indies and England before making the highest individual score in a Men’s T20 World Cup final with 89 against New Zealand on Sunday.
He is joined by teammates Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah as India’s impressive victory on home soil is recognised. Kishan hit 317 runs – the fourth most of any player – as his performances across the top of the order anchored India’s batting performances with a huge strike rate of 193.29. He produced a masterful 77 as an opener against Pakistan before adjusting to number three with important knocks against England and New Zealand, including a half-century in the final.
Pandya is the third Indian batter included, with the all-rounder recognised for his contribution with bat and ball. Pandya scored two half-centuries with the bat and produced devastating spells when it mattered, including 52 off 28 against Namibia, while he also took nine wickets in all.
Bumrah is the fourth Indian player in the team, with the Player of the Match in the final recognised for his excellent bowling performances. Bumrah finished as the tournament’s joint-leading wicket taker, with 14 from eight matches. He finished with figures of four for 15 in the final and posted an economy of 6.21 throughout the tournament.
The top of the order also includes Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan, who finished as the tournament’s top run-scorer with an aggregate of 383. That came at an average of 76.60 and was headlined by a pair of centuries, against Sri Lanka and Namibia.
Aiden Markram is one of two South Africans included in the side, with the Proteas captain scoring 286 – including three half-centuries – as his side reached the semi-finals.The team’s 12th player is Shadley van Schalkwyk, who took 13 wickets for the USA at a rate of just 6.84 and economy of 6.80.
Selection panel: Ian Bishop, Natalie Germanos, Eon Morgan (Broadcasters); Gaurav Saxena (ICC Representative); Rex Clementine (Sports Journalist)
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament 1. Sahibzada Farhan
2. Sanju Sansom (wicketkeeper)
3. Ishan Kishan 4. Aiden Markram (captain) 5. Hardik Pandya 6. Will Jacks
7. Jason Holder 8. Jasprit Bumrah 9. Lungi Ngidi 10. Adil Rashid 11. Blessing Muzarabani 12th player: Shadley van Schalkwyk
